Distribution Maps Child Taxa
🤔 Question
Child Taxa is listed on some County maps legends, what does it mean?
🌱 Answer
In species classification, taxonomy is a hierarchy from most broad categories (Domain and Kingdom) to the finest categories (Species and Infraspecies [subspecies, variety, etc.]).
There are instances where records in EDDMapS are reported above a species level, so higher level maps are available. To display on County maps where the higher-level subject is reported and also subjects below them in the taxonomic hierarchy are reported, there are two colors on the map
Dark green the Map’s subject exactly has been reported in the county
Light green means only child taxa have been reported in the county
For example, species in the Ligustrum genus can be difficult to tell apart. There are records in EDDMapS reported as Ligustrum spp. However, there are also many records in EDDMapS of Ligustrum chinensis, L. japonicum, L. lucidum, and more.
On the Ligustrum County Map where Ligustrum spp. have been reported, those counties are dark green. The counties where only the various Ligustrum species reported will be colored light green.
Point maps will still populate child taxa, but they won’t be coded on the legend. The point map legend prioritizes Management Status and, for wildlife, fate of the subject of record.